Flush valve for water closets



Jan. 7, i941. u. LAUTIAINEN 'xa-rm.

FLUSH VALVE FOR WATER CLOSETS Fild April 25, 1958 UUHOL INVENTOES ML MATT Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oI-Flc fors, Finland; said Lautialnen assigner to Ra- I'ael Arala, llelsingfors, Finland Application April 23, 1938, Serial No. 203,771 In Sweden March 23, 1938 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a flush valve for water closets. It is characterized by the fact that the valve element is energized for ilushing' operation by a very slight movement of an extending han- 5 die, such handle returning to its normal position immediately when hand pressure upon it is removed.

The flush valve of the present invention also has as a feature automatic discontinuation of the ushing action even though the hand pressure on the handle has not permitted all the parts to resume a normal non-ilushing position.

The appended drawing discloses one manner in which the present invention is incorporated in a ush valve.

Referring to the drawing- The valve comprises lower casing 2 and an upper housing 3 threaded together as at 4, the water pressure feed to the assembled sections being at I which is at right angles to the outlet passage of the lower casing 2.

On the upper end of the flush outlet is seated -a primary release valve 6 cylindrical in form and reduced in size at the lower portion as shown.

The release valve 6 seats on the packing 1. The center of the release valve 6 is apertured as at 8, the aperture normally being closed by the secondary regulating valve 9 positioned inside the primary release valve 6 and seating on packing II.

Some free space or clearance III is left between the inner wall of the release valve 6 and the outer wall of the upper portion of the regulating valve 9. Inside the regulating valve 9 a cylindrical bushing I2 is movably disposed, the lower end of which is counterbored as at I3. A certain space is provided between the inside wall of the valve housing-3 and the outer wall of the primary valve 6, so that water may pass slowly from the chamber 24 into the chamber Il. In this manner, balance of pressure is established on opposite sides of the primary valve 6 and, as a result, the valve 6 will tightly press against its seat 1, preventing the ow of water from inlet I to the outlet 2. When the pressure in chamber I4 is reduced, an unbalance in pressure results as more fully described hereinafter. The release valve 6 with its attendant and cooperating parts as described may, under the influence of such a differential in pressure, move upwardly and be accommodated in the chamber I4 of the upper section 3 of the valve body.

The housing 3 of the valve body is apertured as at I5 to receive a. hollow operating rod or lever I6 55 provided at its lower end with a flange I1 against which is a exible disc packing member I8 held in place by a threaded washer as shown. The free portion of this exible packing member I8 is conned against a shoulder within the upper part 3 of the valve body by a threaded spanner 5 nut as indicated. Thus the lever member I6 is iiexibly mounted in water tight relation to the top part 3 of the valve body and may be canted as will be hereinafter described. The lower end of lever I6 has a flange 20 dependent to an ad- 10 justable extent inside thebushing I2 and which constitutes the end of a threaded screw I9.ad justable from outside by removal of the threaded ball cap 2| on the lever I6 which can be used as a handle. The rod I6 can also be made of solid 15 material, in which case the screw I9 is adjusted from its lower end when the body 3 is rst unscrewed. The purpose of screw I9 is to limit the upward movement of the primary valve 6, the secondary valve 9 and the bushing I2 carried by the 20 latter. The flange 20 on the screw I9 is adapted to engage the shoulder I3 provided on the movable bushing I2. Engagement between flange 20 and bushing I2 will occur when the lever rod I6 and with it the screw I9 are tilted during the 2.5 raised position of the secondary valve 9 and the bushing I2. In that event, the bushing I2 will remain in engagement with flange 20 as long as the lever I6 is in tilted position, even if the secondary valve 9 has moved away again from bush- 30 ing I2 and returned to its lower rest position.

In the sides of the regulating valve 9 near ne bottom are the holes 22, which pierce the cylindrical wall. In the enlarged lower part of the valve 9, which acts as a guide inside the release 35 valve 6, are the slots 23 to permit flow of water.

The action of the valve is as follows:

When water under pressure admitted through the inlet pipe fills the chamber 24, water will slowly penetrate into chamber I4 by Way of the 40 space between the inside wall of the body 3 and the outside wall of the primary release valve 6 into the space Il, thereby lling with water the secondary regulating valve 9 and the bushing I2 seated therein; thus, the chamber 24, on one side 45 of valve 6, and the chamber I4, on the opposite side of valve I, are subjected to the same pressure. The release valve 6 and regulating valve 9 are therefore rmly closed against their seats. When the handle 2| is canted in any direction, the 50 flange 20 displaces the bushing I2 to the side, whereupon the regulating valve 9, which surrounds same, also becomes tilted, its lower part is then off its packing, and water from above iiows into the aperture 8, and pressure is withdrawn from the space Il. Thus the water pressure in the chamber 24 immediately pushes the primary release valve 6 upwards, and water is discharged into the ilush pipe 2 under the release valve 6. The release valve i rises as high as the flange 2l permits. If the handle 2| remains in tilted position, the regulating valve 9 cannot press down rmly against its seat and water will continue to ilow into 'the ush pipe 2. To prevent this, a shoulder I3 is provided on the lower part of the bushing I2, and the ange 2B sinks into the recess formed by this shoulder when the .bushing I2 is lifted up by the release valve. Thus the bushing I2 will remain suspended from the ange 20 ii' the rod I6 be continuously kept in tilted position, while the secondary regulating valve 9 slides away from the bushing I2 and sinks downwards by means of its own weight. The object of the holes 22 and slots 23 is to facilitate the sinking down of the valve by letting the water now through. The release valve 6 also begins to sink down onto its seat by reasonoi its own weight and that of the regulating valve 9. When the pressure in the space I4 equals that of the pipe line, al1 the valves are again firmly closed. When the rod I8 is released it assumes, by virtue of its packing, its original vertical' position, and the bushing I2 can move down. The valve is then ready for a new iiushing. The time of the ushing may be adjusted by the screw I9, since the position of the nange 20 determines how high the valves 6 and 9 may rise.

We claim:

1. A flush valve having a water inlet, a flushing outlet, and a closed top, a valve seat above the outlet, a hollow reciprocatory primary valve cooperating with the seat and guided in the top,

- means whereby water may flow from the inlet side of said primary valve to the opposite side thereof to establish a balancing water pressure on opposed faces of the primary valve for maintaining the same in seat engaging position, a tiltable secondary valve within the primary valve and adapted to close an opening through said primary valve, whereby with movement of said secondary valve, water upon one side of said primary valve is permitted to flow into said outlet to relieve the pressure on one side of said primary valve, and permit the preponderating pressure on the other side of said valve to open said valve, a tiltable lever for unseating the secondary valve, and cooperating means upon said lever and said secondary valve adapted to be engaged to permit closing of said secondary `valve irrespective oi the direction of movement or of theposition of said lever.

2. A flush valve comprising a casing having a. water inlet, a iiushing outlet, and a closed top, a valve seat above the outlet, a hollow primary valve for cooperation with the seat and having a guiding connection with the closed top, means whereby water may flow from the inlet side of said primary valve to the opposite side thereof for establishing a balancing water pressure on opposed faces of thevalve for normally maintain.. ing same in seat engaging position, the primary valve having a passage leading from its interior to the outlet, a secondary valve movable with and independently oi' said primary valve cooperating with the passage for permitting water upon one side of said primary valve to flow into l said outlet to relieve the pressure on one side of said primary valve, and permit the preponderating pressure on the other side of said valve to open said valve, and a lever rockably mounted in the closed top and having a lower free end for directly engaging and unseating the secondary valve upon rocking movement oi' the lever, the free end being normally out of engagement with the secondary valve, said lever and said secondary valve having cooperating means to permit closing oi.' said secondary valve, irrespective of the position of said lever.

1 3. A ilush valve embodying therein a casing lillivin'g a water inlet, a flushing outlet, and a lever housing having an opening therethrough, a tiltable lever, a ilexible gasket co-operating with the lever housing of said casing and said lever to close the opening through said housing and permit tilting movement of said lever, means forming a valve seat adjacent said outlet, said casing having chambers adjacent' said inlet and toward the said housing respectively, a hollow primary valve co-operating with said valve seat and having a loose sliding connection within said last named chamber, said primary valve having an opening leading from said last named chamber to said outlet, whereby water may oW about said valve from one of said chambers to the other to establish a balancing water pressure upon opposite sides oi' said valve, a tiltable secondary valve within and movable in relation to and independently of said primary valve, said tiltable secondary valve being within the operative range of one end of said lever, and co-operating means carried by said secondary Valve and said lever to prevent closing of said secondary valve, irrespective of the position of said lever, the said end of the lever forming a stop for the upward movement of said valves, and means for adjusting the length of said lever, whereby the length of the iiushing period may be regulated.

4. A ilush valve embodying therein a casing having a water inlet, a iiushing outlet, and a top having an opening therethrough, a tiltable lever, a flexible gasket co-operating with the top of said casing and said lever to close the opening through said top and permit, tilting movement of said lever, means'forming a valve seat adjacent said outlet, said casing having chambers adjacent said inlet and toward the top of said casing respectively, a hollow primary valve co-operating with said valve seat and having a loose sliding connection within said last named chamber, said primary valve having an opening leading from said last named chamber to said outlet, whereby water may ilow about said valve from one of said chambers to the other to establish a balancing water pressure upon opposite sides of said valve, a tiltable secondary valve within and movable in relation to and independently of said primary valve, said tiltable secondary valve being within Athe operative range of one end of said lever, a ange carried by one end of said lever, a movable contact member carried by said secondary valve, a shoulder upon said contact member, said shoulder being engageable bysaid iiange, whereby said secondary valve may move to closed position.

4 UUNO LAUTIAINEN.

NILS AUGUST ETOLA. 

